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Finding Tiggly
A teenage girl wants to buy a spaceship from a vegetable alien's lot of used and refurbished vessels. What could possibly go wrong?
Angela “Gel” Colson has spent the last year having adventures. She’has s beaten a crooked casino, outwitted an alien ambassador, and even helped an old friend. Now she has a new business plan and promising opportunities await her. To get them, all she needs to do is return her leased spaceship.
There's just one The ship is falling apart around her even as she nears her destination. Her shields are failing, her comms are offline, the navigation computer believes someone else is the current lessee and won't give her helm control, and the interstellar transit portal she's racing toward has raised its defenses to block her access.
But Gel only appears to be Human. She’s actually a mutant variant from a race of teleporting aliens who have hidden in plain sight for millennia. To move forward with her life's plans she must regain control of her ship, return it to the used lot, and convince the owner to sale her a ship, but the only vessel she can possibly afford is an obsolete craft that's sat on the lot for more than a century and belongs in a museum not out among the stars.
An introduction to the FREELANCE COURIER series, "Finding Tiggly," is the story of how Gel acquires Tiggly, a Tiglarian Thistler class vessel, the likes of which hasn't been seen in civilized space in ages.
Angela “Gel” Colson has spent the last year having adventures. She’has s beaten a crooked casino, outwitted an alien ambassador, and even helped an old friend. Now she has a new business plan and promising opportunities await her. To get them, all she needs to do is return her leased spaceship.
There's just one The ship is falling apart around her even as she nears her destination. Her shields are failing, her comms are offline, the navigation computer believes someone else is the current lessee and won't give her helm control, and the interstellar transit portal she's racing toward has raised its defenses to block her access.
But Gel only appears to be Human. She’s actually a mutant variant from a race of teleporting aliens who have hidden in plain sight for millennia. To move forward with her life's plans she must regain control of her ship, return it to the used lot, and convince the owner to sale her a ship, but the only vessel she can possibly afford is an obsolete craft that's sat on the lot for more than a century and belongs in a museum not out among the stars.
An introduction to the FREELANCE COURIER series, "Finding Tiggly," is the story of how Gel acquires Tiggly, a Tiglarian Thistler class vessel, the likes of which hasn't been seen in civilized space in ages.
60 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2025
8 people are currently reading
About the author
Lawrence M. Schoen
130 books233 followersLawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Astounding, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel, founded the Klingon Language Institute, and occasionally does work as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues. He is a chimeric cancer survivor.
His science fiction includes many light and humorous adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist and his alien animal companion. Other works take a very different tone, exploring aspects of determinism and free will, generally redefining the continua between life and death. Sometimes he blurs the funny and the serious. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife and their dog.
His science fiction includes many light and humorous adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist and his alien animal companion. Other works take a very different tone, exploring aspects of determinism and free will, generally redefining the continua between life and death. Sometimes he blurs the funny and the serious. Lawrence lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife and their dog.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 10, 2025
This novelette is what authors call a "reader magnet," an introduction to a series (in this case the FREELANCE COURIER series) that ideally hooks new readers with an intriguing character and compelling storyline, and reminds past readers what they fell in love with in the first place.
At the time of this review, the series has three novels in print, a fourth on the way, and a total of nine books planned.
At the time of this review, the series has three novels in print, a fourth on the way, and a total of nine books planned.
August 1, 2025
A fun short story
If you haven't read Schoen's books before, this makes an excellent introduction to the freelance courier books. Introduces the main character with some immediate issues, and a long term goal: making it as a courier. She'll need to use more than her special gift of teleporting things, she'll have to think hard to get things done!
If you haven't read Schoen's books before, this makes an excellent introduction to the freelance courier books. Introduces the main character with some immediate issues, and a long term goal: making it as a courier. She'll need to use more than her special gift of teleporting things, she'll have to think hard to get things done!
August 27, 2025
Fun short story
I think this was written after other Gel stories to fill in some holes. But it’s a great introduction to the main protagonist and the universe she moves in. Makes me look forward to reading the additional books.
I think this was written after other Gel stories to fill in some holes. But it’s a great introduction to the main protagonist and the universe she moves in. Makes me look forward to reading the additional books.
August 2, 2025
Cute. Good introduction to the series Ace of Couriers.
August 10, 2025
Fun! Fun! Fun!
This was a fun read. It was quick, witty, and another wonderful installment in this universe. You’ll enjoy it! I did.
This was a fun read. It was quick, witty, and another wonderful installment in this universe. You’ll enjoy it! I did.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews